Bandages
by VicTheButcher
Summary: A short drabble detailing some post-mission patching up. ShikaxIno, because there isn't enough of it. Reviews encouraged!


Shikamaru groans deeply as Ino's head lolls on his shoulder.

"Come on, woman. Stay awake." He drawls tiredly, wincing from the pain speaking brings him. "No sleeping until we get you checked out."

"Me?!" She screeches, causing Shikamaru's head to jerk quickly to the side, away from the offending noise, "what about YOU?! You have to have at least three broken ribs!"

"Yeah, well, it is what it is. Just stay awake. You might have a concussion. And stop shouting!" The young man stumbled some as another wave of pain assaulted his side. The two must've looked quite a sight, stumbling down the streets of Konohakagure this late at night. Or...this early in the morning. Whatever it was, it was too damn long since he'd gotten good sleep.

The simple c-rank mission they'd been sent on had ramped up rather quickly once the oto-nin had shown up. Ino suspected a set-up by the bounty giver, while Shikamaru just complained that this was supposed to be a "break" from the a-ranks the Hokage assaulted him with.

That was until the largest enemies foot connected heavily with Ino's pretty blonde head. All complaints out the window, Shikamaru had grimly and decisively ended the enemy threat with a combination of his potent shadow weaving and the help of his late sensei's trench knives.

"YOU stay awake, lazy ass." The kunoichi's words towards her teammate may sound abrasive or even venomous to those unfamiliar with their rather unconventional relationship, but Shikamaru didn't need to be able to see his oldest friend's face to know there was a small smile on her lips, most likely formed from the brusque but sincere concern he showed her. "You're the one always sleeping!"

"Tch. Hey, can you reach your keys?" They had reached the door to their shared apartment. Ino shook her head against Shikamaru's back, and squeaked in the negative.

A long suffering sigh escaped the young jounin's lips. "Can you reach MY keys, then?" He drawled. Hers were most likely in her pack, which was slung across his chest.

Ino's hand dipped into his jacket pocket, and long slender fingers pulled his jingling keys slowly from its depths.

-  
Forty-five minutes later, Ino sat on the couch in their front room, having passed Shikamaru's concussion test. She was the medical-nin, but Asuma-sensei had taught them all basic first aid, part of their "team cohesion" unit early on in their training.

On the floor by her legs, Shikamaru leaned his head gently against her knee. His lips moved soundlessly in the darkness, and Ino could feel rather than hear his words.

"Yeah, yeah, 'troublesome' this, 'troublesome' that. How're the ribs?" Came the blonde's reply, eyes closed and head leaned against the couch back.

"Still broken." Pain biting through the usual boredom in his voice brought a small frown to Ino's lips.

"Well, let's get that fixed, shall we?"

Ino helped Shikamaru to his feet, leading him to the bathroom. Stripping off his jacket and mesh shirt, she fought down the urge to run her hands across his lean, muscular physique. Maybe tomorrow, when she wasn't so tired and he was in less pain.

Instructing the young man to sit on the side of the bathtub, the young medical student began her ministrations.

She started with the wounds on his arms, pouring thin stream of antiseptic on the long thin slashes. As his wounds bubbled clean, Shikamaru winced slightly, and Ino laughed at his childish reaction. She had once watched him take a kunai to the gut and pull it out himself, but here he was grimacing like a kid!

Ino laughed and ignored the dirty look he cast at her as she pinched his cheek like she would one of her academy students.

Slowly, she wrapped bandages around his forearms, kissing the gauzy material after each was tied off at his forearms.

Moving on to the gash on his shoulder, Ino winced at how close Shikamaru had come to losing his head to the sound kunoichi's sword. That bitch couldn't even attack him fairly, waiting for the big brute that had taken Ino out to distract him.

More antiseptic, but no wincing. Shikamaru seemed to be nodding off himself, so Ino kissed the back of his head lightly to get his attention.

"Shika, this one needs stitches, okay?" She wasn't this soft with her patients at the hospital, but the shadow genius wasn't just her patient. Plus, she felt bad...he'd gotten hurt protecting her, after all.

"Mmmm. I know." Rasped Shikamaru, as he reached for the pack of cigarettes on the counter. Ino wrinkled her nose but said nothing. The idiot deserved his death sticks...at least tonight he did.

As the tip of his cigarette glowed cherry red, Ino threaded her needle and set to work closing the wound on the young man's shoulder. A slight hitch in Shikamaru's breath each time the needle pierced his skin, and Ino's own even breaths were the only sounds in the apartment.

Ten stitches later and Ino moved on to his bruised side. A quick sweep of her chakra-infused hands confirmed her suspicions: three broken ribs, two cracked, and the rest bruised. This wound Shikamaru had taken purposefully, as the opening he left that tempted the last enemy nin to take the shot was a ruse meant to ensnare the dangerous man.

Of course, it worked. Like it always did.

Carefully bandaging his side, she periodically let some of her chakra seep into the bruised flesh, hoping to allay the pain.

Kissing his temple lightly, Ino helped him to his feet. The two stumbled to the nearest bedroom and fell heavily onto the bed.

"Oooof! Shika you're crushing me!"

"Good."

"Get off me you lazy idiot!"

"Shut up and go to sleep, already."

"Some thanks for patching you up, asshole!"

"What do you want me to do, pay you for it?"

"Now I do!"

"Tch. Troubles-"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm troublesome and you can't live without me."

"You're not wrong."

Any retort she had was cut off by his lips on hers. He tasted of smoke, smelled of dried blood and antiseptic.

And she fell asleep nearly immediately, smiling into his shoulder.


End file.
